When Jim (Colin Burgess) and Dave (Anthony Oberbeck) meet at a cabin upstate in an attempt to bond with their 13-year-old son, Branson (Brian Fiddyment), tensions mount as differing parenting techniques come to the fore, along with trivial disagreements about everything from air mattresses, to cigars, to grilling hotdogs.

For in-depth thoughts on Dad & Step-Dad, please see my colleague Fritz Couture’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Dad & Step-Dad comes to Blu-Ray with a very good 1080p video presentation that captures the artistic intent of the low-budget endeavor. The basic master is quite fetching with a solid encoding effort free of unwanted digital anomalies. The presentation provides a pleasing amount of depth on display, especially in the expansive shots of nature. The production design along with the fabrics of clothing provide clear textural details. The image is clean with the nuanced color palette radiating off the screen. The film employs welcome splashes of bold colors when the splendor of nature is featured. The black levels lack a bit of depth and show signs of banding in certain shots, but it is far from a detrimental issue. The flesh tones are natural with a magnificent amount of detail present in close-ups. This Blu-Ray is an enjoyable representation of this movie and a welcome debut effort from NoBudge on the format.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray oddly goes with a Dolby Digital 2.0 lossy audio track instead of a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track, which is a bit of a shame yet unlikely to ruin the viewing experience of anyone in the audience. There is essentially nothing in the way of hard-hitting moments, but the environmental sounds of the world come through effectively. When the characters are roaming outdoors, there are some intriguing ambient details that flesh out the setting. Dialogue is the driving force of the film, and it always comes through clearly without being clipped by any competing sounds. The music in the film is well-balanced and maintains its fidelity. The audio potentially could have been a bit more nuanced with a full lossless track, but this track gets the job done. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: There are three commentary tracks provided offering very different experiences. The first one with the filmmakers is the most straightforward in which they relay their experience during production while still keeping things light and humorous. The second track is almost like watching a second movie as you have the characters from the film discussing the “footage” from their long weekend trip. Finally, you have the “Fart Track” which literally just adds some fart noises throughout the film.

- Audio Commentary #1: Director Tynan DeLong and Producer Graham Mason

- Audio Commentary #2: Main Characters Jim and Dave

- Audio Commentary #3: Fart Track

Bloopers: There are 12 minutes of flubbed takes provided.

Deleted Scenes: A nearly eight-minute selection of unused footage is provided. There are some very funny moments in here for fans of the film.

Alternative Takes: A nine-minute collection of alternate takes is provided.

Short Films

- Dad & Step-Dad: The original eight-minute short film that inspired the feature film.

- The Matrix: A six-minute short film that “remakes” The Matrix using consumer equipment.

Trailers (2:47)

Booklet: A multi-page booklet is provided featuring essays by film critic Elissa Suh and Colin Burgess, Tynan DeLong, and Anthony Oberbeck. Not only do these pieces give a well-rounded analysis of the themes of the film, but they also allow the creatives to be equally sincere and hilarious in speaking about the creation of the feature.

Final Thoughts

Dad & Step-Dad is one of the most hilarious discoveries of the year. The ragtag nature of the production is inspiring as you are reminded how creativity can overflow even when there is not much money involved. Simply having a group of extremely clever friends get together to create something with a bit of passion behind it is enough to make a new cult classic. The film could likely get by on being very funny alone, yet it has some genuine thematic resonance underneath that makes it even more likely to endure over the years. This is one you will be wanting to show all of your friends. NoBudge has released a Blu-Ray featuring a good A/V presentation and a great assortment of special features. Hopefully this new release will provide a lengthy life for this one. Recommended

Dad & Step-Dad is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: NoBudge and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.